USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
the estate of the father of David Em- ery, was located in Boscawen ; thither Mr. Colman annually drove a herd of cows for pasturage, the milking and cheese-making being done in the fami- ly of Mr. Joseph Little. In this way the sons of the Byfield household be- came almost domesticated in the place. For several years it had been the cus- tom for these Boscawen farmer's, dit- ring the winter leisure, to go to Mas- sachusetts and purchase fresh fish, which, in a frozen state, were taken in box sleds drawn by a span of horses, to Montreal in Canada, where they met with a ready sale at renumer- ative price during Lent. A return load of furs and other articles rendered these trips exceedingly profitable.
Having from boyhood heard the ac- counts of these journeys, David Em- ery conceived a strong desire to visit Montreal and try his luck in a venture there. On the twenty-seventh of De- cember, he joined a party consisting of Messrs. Enoch and Joseph Gerrislı, Mr. Nathan Carter and a Mr. Clough. After a month's absence, he returned highly delighted with the trip, which had combined both pleasure and profit.
I was making my usual winter visit in town and had gone to pass a day at Mr. Jeremiah Colman's. A shadow darkened the window ; glancing up, to our surprise, as he had not been expect- ing for a week, whom should we espy but David Emery. The dinner hour was enlivened by the young man's graphic account of the journey. His companions were a jolly set, the many little blunders and mishaps inseparable from such a trip, had given amusement rather than annoyance. The inconven- ience of the small and crowded houses of entertainment had been received in
107
OF A NONAGENARIAN.
the same spirit. I never yet saw a Gerrish that could not extract some fun from his surroundings, let them be ever so dismal. Mr. Emery had been ex- ceedingly entertained with the novelty of French Canadian life. He was pleased with their stoves, and especially praised their bread. Montreal im- pressed him favorably, though the cold was so intense during the whole of his stay, that "you are freezing," was the hourly cry from one person to another on the street. Notwithstanding the bitter weather he managed to see the city. His busines brought him in con- tact with the officers of the garrison, and he made many pleasant acquaintan- ces, and was shown much attention and hospitality. He attended high mass at the cathedral, thus getting a sight of va- rious dignitaries, and a knowledge of the pomp of the service of that church to which he had been introduced in the wilderness. A description of a swap of horses on the plains of Abraham, elicited peals of laughter. Thither the farmers around Montreal were wont to gather on certain days for the barter and sale of horses. One of Mr. Em- ery's horses having become quite lame, he was desirous to exchange it for the home journey, but totally unacquainted with French, he was at a loss how to manage. Having spoken to his friends upon the subject, he was directed to ride out to the plains, he would find the dealers drawn up in a line, he must ride out before them, waving his whip and uttering an indescribable ery, some- thing not belongIng to any known lan- guage, but which was peculiarly ludi- crous. Doing as directed, he made a good exchange, procured a strong, kind horse. His load home consisted of sewing-silk and furs. He brought me
some splendid sable skins, which were made into an elegant muff and tippet, the tippet, a deep eape with long ends, and the muff of the huge dimensions worn in those days. This was my first visit to Newburyport sinee General Peabody's family had taken possession of their fine new mansion on State, corner of Harris street, the lower half of the present Merrimae House
The estate upon which my unele's palatial residence was built, had for- merly extended up State, nearly to High, and down to the estate of Dr. Lowell, afterward the site of the Tracy mansion, thenee it ran back to Green street. Harris street was cut through the grounds, thus deriving its name. The Harrises had been a dis- tinguished colonial family. The Rev. Henry Harris, the father of Benjamin Harris, the proprietor of the State street property, was one of the first missionaries sent from England, to fill the rectorship of King's Chapel, Bos- ton. The oldest daughter of Benja- min Harris, who was an enterprising merchant, married Joseph Hooper, a son of "King Hooper" of Marblehead. Mr. Hooper, a loyalist, left this country with many others of like view in 1774. He never returned, and his property in Marblehead was confiscated. His wife resided in the Harris mansion un- til her death, when Gen. Peabody pur- chased it. A handsome house of the ante-Revolutionary style, the new pro- prietor was by many strongly urged not to build, but three-storied brick houses were going up on all sides, and my uncle coneluded to follow the fash- ion.
The Harris mansion was sold to E. and I. Swett, and moved to Marlborough street. The new house, in the archi-
1
108
REMINISCENCES
tecture common for a genteel residence at that period, was a square, brick struc- ture, with a flat roof edged by a wooden balustrade, a portico over the front en- trance on State street, and a side door, with a long L and shed extending to the . stable on Harris street. In the rear stretched a garden handsomely laid out the trim parterres then in vogue, and well stocked with choice flowers and fruits. The principal entrance opened into a hall, a door leading to the garden at the lower end. To the left two parlors opened to each other by folding doors ; to the right was the sitting or dining room, and across the end entry came the kitchen. The chambers in both stories corresponded to the rooms be- low ; and from the upper story and the roof a magnificent view of the sur- rounding country, the river and bay, were obtained. In the L a large outer kitchen had been fitted with a " Rum- ford Cookery." This was a huge con- trivance of brick and masonry invented by the celebrated Count Rumford. It had several boilers of different sizes, and other devices to facilitate domestic purposes, with apertures under each for a wood fire. The furnishing of this new house corresponded to it in elegance : that of the best room was handsomely carved mahogany with cov- erings of a golden tinted damask, and curtains to match ; with marble top ta- bles, and marble mantels and hearths, which were imported from Italy. A
marble topped side-boad and a piano had been purchased in Paris ; the carpets were from English looms, and the rest of the furniture was as splendid as American warehouses could furnish.
During my visit aunt Peabody invi- ted some of the neighboring young la- dies and gentlemen to tea ; thus I was
introduced to a circle, most of whom became life-long friends. There were the Misses Balch, their brothers and Mr. Hudson, (Miss Fanny Balch was not then married,) the Misses Frothingham and their brother Mr. Henry Frothing- ham, and Mr. John Chickering. Each of this merry group, including my cousin, Sophronia Peabody, four years my junior, have finished their earthly career, and gone to the eternal home ; I alone am left to tell the tale.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
A farm adjoining my grandfather Little's was owned by two brothers, Jo- siah and Amos Hill. In 1806 these gentlemen sold the estate to my uncle Enoch Smith, and, in company with Mr. Frank Brown, repaired to a town- ship in the District of Maine, on the Pleasant river, a tributary of the Penobscot, some forty miles above Ban- gor. A settlement was begun on the river, called Brownville, in honor of Mr. Moses Brown of Newburyport, who held a large interest in the loca- tion. Mills were erected at the falls on the river, and farms were cleared from the forest. Fifty acres of land was presented to any settler who would erect buildings and cultivate a farm.
This flitting caused a great excite- ment in our quiet town. We had the bustle of uncle Enoch's family moving to their new home, and though we were glad of the additional room, the house seemed strangely still and lonely, with only grandm'am and aunt Sarah.
Maj. Josiah Hill was an energetic,
109
OF A NONAGENARIAN.
enterprising man, and both himself and brother were a loss to our com- munity. The preparations for this new home in the wilderness were nec- essarily upon a large seale, many hands were kept busy for several weeks.
This enterprise proved eminently successful. Each year some of the emigrants visited their old home, and brought glowing accounts of the settle- ment. Maj. Hill's oldest son, Samuel, had remained in town, but the third year after his father's departure, he concluded to join him. An urgent re- quest was sent to Hannah Bailey, a niece of Mrs. Josiah Hill, to accom- pany her cousin ; her aunt insisted that she should come and stay a year. Hannah was just seventeen, a bright, black-eyed girl, ambitious and capa- ble ; fearing nothing, and ready for anything, it was but natural that she should be eager for the expedition. Her father and mother, after a time, gave a somewhat reluctant consent to the visit, but most of the family were ve- hement in their opposition. Aunt Poll, a maiden sister of Mr. Bailey, was especially exercised respecting her nieee. " Brother and sister must be elean dis- traught, to permit that harum, scarum witch to go sich a jaunt. Why, if she escaped the dangers of the sea, there was rivers to eross, and nobody knew how many miles of woods to ride through afore she could get to Major Hill's. Woods all full of wild beasts, bears, catamounts and sich like, every kind of ravenous animals ; she shouldn't be surprised if the Behemoth of Serip- ter was a roving round in them ere dark, tangled thiekets, all full of snakes and other venomous reptiles."
Notwithstanding aunt Poll's and the others' remonstrances, Hannah, not
the least daunted at their dire prognos- tications, sailed in October from New- buryport, with her cousin Sam. Hill, in an old schooner bound for Bangor. The trip was made in safety. Not much troubled with sea-sickness, the novelty was such, Miss Bailey counted the inconvenience of the voyage as nought. The weather became unusu- ally severe for the season, and the ice formed so fast the skipper was com- pelled to land his passengers twelve miles below Bangor. Mr. Hill had taken his horse, so another must be procured for his cousin, as there was no carriage road to Brownville. Pro- ceeding to Bangor to make arrange- ments, Mr. Hill unexpectedly found a younger brother, who had come thither to pursue his studies through the win- ter. His horse was to have been taken home at the first opportunity. It was young and spirited, but Hannah Bailey was an experienecd and fearless rider, and it was decided that she should mount the steed, while her cousin rode his own horse. The baggage was tak- en from the trunks and packed in bags, strapped behind the saddles. Every- thing made ready, fully equipped, the cousins commenced the journey. The road was only a bridle-path through a dense forest. Streams were to be forded, fallen trees to 'be leaped, and many other difficulties to be surmount- ed. Miles apart came clearings, where buildings of logs or slabs uprose amid fields dotted with burned stumps. Rest and refreshment were obtained at these houses. The pair were two days and nights on the road, but arrived safely at their destination, somewhat fatigued, yet highly delighted with the trip. Miss Bailey remained at her uncle's a little over a year, then taking advan-
110
REMINISCENCES
tage of good sleighing, she came home with two of her cousins. After my re- turn from Newburyport, she paid us a visit. We were greatly entertained with her lively and graphic description of the journeys to and fro, and her life in the forest. The account of the two days ride through the woods, elici- ted peals of laughter, such queer di- lemmas and ludicrous accidents pre- sented themselves. Her young horse needed a firm hand; at the first run- ning stream he hesitated, after a mo- ment's consideration, gathered for a leap, and sprang across ; Hannah kept the saddle, and in this way was taken across every brook on the road. The elder horse witnessing his companion's agility, proceeded to copy his example. After Miss Bailey had become domes- ticated in Brownville, in company with her cousin, Charlotte Hill, she paid frequent visits to the farm houses in the vicinity, but the two horses could never be persuaded to wade a stream ; they invariably took them at a flying leap, not a bit to the discomfiture of the gay girls.
Maj. Hill had put up a frame house, but the hearths and the lower half of the chimney were of stone, the upper being topped out with slabs filled in with clay. There was a stone oven, though light could be discerned through a chink in the back, there was plenty of wood to heat it and.it baked well.
Bolts had not been set in the grist mill. The wheat flour for the nicest cooking was sifted through a fine hair seive, but the bread for common use was stirred up from the coarse flour, and no lighter, sweeter, or more wholesome bread was never tasted. As there were no apples, in the early summer, before the wild fruit came, pies were
made from young sorrel leaves, which were considered very nice.
Though the nearest neighbor was a quarter of a mile away, the winter passed cheerfully. The Indians were frequent guests, and were received with kindly hospitality. Their unique appearance, broken English, original ideas and untutored manners, were a never failing source of interest and amusement.
The next spring, 1809, Maj. Hill built a brick chimney. in his house, the brick hearths were the first in the towhship.
The settlement was increased by the arrival of Dr. Wilkins, his wife and five children, from Billerica. The next year the Rev. Samuel May and his family, moved thither from Boston. The clergyman came as a missionary for that part of the District, preaching in Brownville on alternate sabbaths. About the same time a lawyer, Col. Kinsman, with his sons John and Hen- ry came to the place from Waterville.
During the winter Miss Bailey made herself generally useful ; in the spring, Maj. Hill fitted a room for a school, and installed his niece as instructress of the children scattered far and wide amid the woods. The giddy young girl proved an excellent teacher, eleit- ing the affection of her pupils and the respect of their parents. Money was scarce in this primitive settlement, the school-mistress had no regular salary, but she received several handsome presents, amongst which was a nice dress, and a muff and tippett of rich fur.
I recall how the afternoon's mirth was increased at tea, by the wry faces made by my youngest brother, Joseph Little, over a dish of alewives. From
111
OF A NONAGENARIAN.
its earliest settlement, fishing had been
business in the town. Fishing grounds were laid out, which were pri- vate property. I have the deed of one that descended to David Emery from his grandfather John Emery.
Our neighbor, Hannah Pillsbury, had some years previous, married Mr. Abraham Brown, of Byfield. Left a widow while her children were still young, Mrs. Brown returned to the pa- ternal roof, bringing with her five sons, two of which were twins. The Brown boys and my brothers were intimate companions.
That afternoon Joe. and his crony, Oliver Brown, had been to the river to look at the fishing, and each had re- ceived a bunch of alewives. Highly delighted, Joe. dressed his for supper. Father told him that they were so bony he would not eat them, but to gratify her son, mother fried the fish. The lad sat down to the table with a keen ap- petite, but soon concluded that alewives were not exactly the thing for a hungry man to eat in a hurry.
In 1808 Dr. Woods accepted an in- vitation to preside over the Theological Seminary at Andover. This institution had found munificient patrons in two citizens of Newburyport,- Mr. Moses Brown, and William Bartlett Esq. Mr. Bartlett had been enthusiastically zeal- ous in its establishment, an interest which continued to the end of life. Dr. Woods' departure was deplored by his friends, their grief however was assuag- ed by the pride and pleasure experi- enced, at their favorite's advancement in place and honor. Aunt Ruth Little could scarcely reconcile herself to the change, but aunt Judy Dole said, "Let him go ; he was fitter for a Pope to that new Hopkinsian college, than for a coun-
try parson. She was willing to throw" all her old shoes after him for good luck." Several years elapsed without a settled minister. The pulpit was mostly supplied from the Andover Sem- inary. Amongst these young men were the afterwards distinguished missiona- ries, Messrs Newell and Judson. A great commotion had arisen in the par- ish respecting the meeting-house. The old building had become dilapidated, almost unfit for use. Every one conce- ded the necessity of a new house, but its site was the bone of contention. Some, mostly the more elderly members of the society, were desirous to retain the old location,- their plea being that it was exactly in the centre of the par- ish : the others very wisely objected to climbing the almost inaccessible hill upon which the old structure was perch- ed, urging that it would be better for a few to go a slight distance farther on level ground, than all to climb the high and steep eminence. Agreement could not be reached. The old meeting-house grew worse and worse, snow drifted in at winter, and rain dripped through the cracks and crevices in summer, still the contrary parties could not be brought to agree, people went to meeting be- cause it was customary and considered sinful to remain at home, but there was a sad lack of interest and union in the parish for quite a period.
CHAPTER XXIX.
My ancestors, with the exception of the Johnson branch, came to Newbury either in the band that accompanied Messers Parker and Noyes from Aga-
112
REMINISCENCES
wam to Quascacunquen in the year ,1635, or joined the settlement soon af- ter. From the Noyes grandmother, am descended from the Rev. James Noyes, whose brother Nicholas, tradi- tion asserts, was the first to leap on shore when the emigrants landed. This spot is supposed to be on the north side of the river Parker, near the pres- ent bridge, and the colonists located about the lower green, Oldtown, where the first meeting-house was built. Thomas Parker, the pastor, was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1595; he was the only son of Robert Parker, an eminent scholar and an active non- conformist. The Noyes family are of Norman descent ; originally the name was spelt Noye. From the conquest the race have been distinguished for influence and scholarship. In 14 and 15 Hen. VIII, William Noyes, of Erch- fort, was assessed for the subsidy at £80, and paid £4 yearly. In 1540 he became possessed of the prebend of Erchfort with its dependencies, and died in 1557, leaving a considerable property to a large family, of whom John was M. P. for Laine, A. D., 1600, and Robert the elder, who succeeded to the prebend, having purchased in 1574 for his eldest son, Robert, the manor and estate of King's Hatherdene, in Weghill near Andover. His cousin, Peter Noyes, was also of Weghill and Andover of Berks, in which county, · for many generations his descendants owned the estate of Trunkwell, in the parish of Springfield, acquired by a marriage with Agnes, daughter and heiress of John Noyes of that place who died in 1607. Peter Noyes had a sec- ond son Richard, and a daughter, Joice, married to the Rev. Robert Wield, D. D. James Noyes, the teacher at Quasca-
cunquen, was born in Choulderton, Wiltshire, England, in 1608. His father was a minister in the same town, a gentleman of superior ability and ed- ucation. His mother was a sister of the learned Robert Parker. Mr. Noyes was educated at Oxford, and for a time previous to his emigration to America, he was associated with his cousin, Thomas Parker, in teaching at New- bury, where Mr. Parker preached. In honor of these gentlemen, the settle- ment received the name of Newbury. In 1634, shortly before leaving his na- tive land, Mr. Noyes was married to Sarah, eldest daughter of Joseph Brown of Southampton. He had six sons, and three daughters ; Sarah, who died at the age of eleven, Rebecca, and a second Sarah. Through life the cous- ins, Parker and Noyes, continued in the closest intimacy. They taught in the same school in England, came to America in the same ship, were pastor and teacher in the same church, and as Mr. Parker remained a bachelor, they lived in the same house. For a few years after the settlement of the town their residence was on the west side of the lower green, but on the removal of the meeting-house, Mr. Noyes built a house in 1646, or soon after, which is still standing on Parker street,- a fine old fashioned mansion, still owned and occupied by the clergyman's descend- ants. A lot of salt meadow, willed by Mr. Parker to his Noyes relatives, has never been bought nor sold, but through the descending generations has succes- sively passed from father to son. The Rev. James Noyes died in the forty- eighth year of his age, Oct. 22d, 1656. His character is thus delineated by Mr. Parker :
"Mr. James Noyes my worthy col-
113
OF A NONAGENARIAN.
league in the ministry of the gospel, was a man of singular qualifications, in piety excelling, an implacable enemy to all heresy and schism and a most able war- rior against the same. He was of a reaching and ready apprehension, a large invention, a most profound judg- ment, a rare, tenacious and comprehen- sive memory, fixed and immovable in his well grounded conceptions, sure in words and speech, without rashness, gentle and mild in all expressions, with- out passion or provoking language, and as he was a notable disputant so he never would provoke his adversary, sav- ing by the short knocks and heavy weight of argument. He was of so loving, compassionate and humble car- riage that I believe never any were ac- quainted with him, but did desire the continuance of his society and ac- quaintance. He was a most excellent counsellor in doubts, and could strike at a hair's breadth like the Benjamites and expedite the entangled out of the briars. He was courageous in dangers and still was apt to believe the best, and make fair weather in a storm. He was much honored and esteemed in the country, and his death was much be- wailed. I think that he may be reckoned among the greatest worthies of the age."
Josephi, oldest son of the Rev. James Noyes, born Oct. 15th, 1637, remained in Newbury, where, for a number of years, he was one of the selectmen. He died in 1717.
James, the second son, born March 11th, 1640 -; graduated at Harvard in 1659 ; was a preacher in Stonington, Conn., in 1668; was ordained there Sept. 10th, 1676, and died Dec. 1719, after a ministry of over fifty years.
Moses, the third son, was born Dec.
6th, 1643 ; graduated at Harvard in 1659; he was the first minister in Lyme, Conn., where he died Nov. 10th, 1726.
John, the fourth son, born June 3d, 1645 ; was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, Bos- ton.
Col. Thomas, the fifth son, born Aug. 10th, 1648; remained in New- bury where he was a prominent citizen, representing the town in the General Court.
William, the sixth son, born Sept. 22d, 1653, married Sara Cogswell, Nov. 6th, 1685. Children : John, born July 27th, 1686, William, born Sept. 1st, 1688; Sarah, born May 10th, 1691, and died Dec. 3d, 1703 ; Moses, born Jan. 27th, 1694, and died Feb. 16th ; Susanna, born Feb. 25th, 1696 ; Mary, born May 24th, 1699, and died Dec. 16th, 1703 ; Sarah, born Dec. 5th, 1703 ; Parker, born Jan. 17th, 1705.
John, oldest son of William and Sara (Cogswell,) Noyes, married Tab- itha Dole, and moved to the West Precinct, Newbury, where he became a leading citizen and deacon of the church; his estate was on the main road near the Bradford line. Children were : William, Sara, Elizabeth, and Parker, who died in childhood. Wil- liam married Lydia Morse ; their chil- dren were: Timothy, who married Betty Dean, Enoch, who married Sarah Emery, John, who married Elizabeth Pillsbury, and Molly, who married Webster Bailey.
Sara, the oldest daughter of deacon Noyes, remained single ; Elizabeth, the second daughter, married Capt. James Smith of Crane-neck hill -her second husband was Capt. Edmund Little.
15
114
REMINISCENCES
Mr. Nicholas Noyes, brother of | Rev. James Noyes, was born in 1614 ; he married Mary Cutting, a sister of Capt. John Cutting who came from London to Charlestown, thence to New- bury about 1642. Their children were, Mary, born Oct. 15th, 1641. married John French. Hannah. born Oct. 31st, 1643, married Peter Cheney, May 14th. 1663. 2d, John Atkinson, born June 3d. 1700. died Jan. 5th. 1705. John, born Jan. 20th, 1646, married Mary Poor. Nov 13th, 1668, died in 1691. Rev. Nicholas, born Dec. 22d. 1647, died unmarried. Cutting, born Sept. 23d. 1649, married Eliza- beth Knight; died Oct. 25th, 1734. Sarah, born Sept. 13th, 1651, died Feb. 20th. 1652. Sarah. born Aug. 22d, 1653, married Matthew Pettingel, April 13th, 1674. Timothy. born June 23d, 1655, married Mary Knight, Jan. 13th, 1680 ; died in 1710. James. born May 15th, 1657, married Hannah Knight, March 31st. 1684: died in 1723. Abigail, born April. 1657. mar- ried Simeon French of Salisbury. May 8th, 1707. Rachel. born March 20th. 1661, married James Jackman. Thom- as, born June 20th, 1663. married Sa- rah -, lived in Haverhill. and died previous to Dec. 30th. 1695. Re- becca, born May 18th, 1665, died Dec. 21st. 1683.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.